Three transport modules were donated to the Community Hospital and one to the Naval Hospital in a citizen initiative working jointly with the municipal government, according to Isla Mujeres Covid-19 Prevention Liaison, Dr. Xhanat Tse Gonzalez Mora.

She said that PPE's (Personal Protective Equipment) were delivered for the doctors, nurses and other staff who are in contact with suspected patients, which were provided by the Pro-Patient Diabetic Club of Isla Mujeres. They supplied 25 kits for the Community Hospital and 10 for the ISSSTE.

(Editor's Note: We are still collecting donations toward a goal of providing 100 kits, which can be sent to isladiabetesclinic@gmail.com We would also like to provide kits for the first responders, paramedics, etc.)

This collaboration between private organizations and the municipal government is in response to a need to increase prevention measures and protocols during Phase 3 when a greater number of asymptomatic cases and cases with mild symptoms are expected, as well as serious cases.

The doctor emphasized the importance of the recommendations to maintain social isolation at home and not leaving unless necessary, using face masks, and observing healthy distance. (And frequent hand washing & disinfecting are important, too!)

Source: Ayuntamiento de Isla Mujeres

Donations-isladiabetesclinic@gmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On May 2, Quintana Roo reports a total of 888 positive cases of Covid-19 with 118 deaths, 431 recuperated, 187 hospitalized and 152 in social isolation. Benito Juarez (Cancun) reports 666 positives, 82 deaths and 335 recuperated. Isla Mujeres is unchanged with a total of 5 cases, which include on recuperated and 4 active.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

#1-Bus service is suspended on Saturdays & Sundays until further
notice. The usual schedule will continue on Mondays thru Fridays.

#2-The hard-working trash collectors get a day off on Tuesday, "Cinco de Mayo".

#3-May is Sea Turtle Month and the beginning of nesting season (for the
next six months). The graphic says: Our objective is to preserve and
care for the species, Keep our beaches clean, Don't consume eggs or
turtle products. The ban is total and permanent. Did you know?
Three species of turtles nest on our shores-Green, Loggerhead, and
Hawksbill. The turtle says: Thanks to the efforts of Don Gonzalo Chale
in the conservation of Sea Turtles since 1965, Isla Mujeres is a pioneer
in this work. The icons indicate: Don't touch them, don't take flash
photos, don't eat them, help conserve them.Source: Ayuntamiento de Isla Mujeres

On May 1st, Quintana Roo reports 825 positive cases of Covid-19 with 118
deaths, 154 cases under study, 411 recuperated, 169 hospitalized and
127 in social isolation. Isla Mujeres remains unchanged with 1
recuperated case and 4 active ones for a total of 5 positives. Cancun
reports 619 positives, 82 deaths and 327 recovered. Note there are
more hospitalized than in social isolation, which is unusual. The death
rate statewide is 1 in 7 cases and in Cancun 1 in 7.5. This is the
start of Week 8 (the first case was on Friday, 3/13) and statewide,
there are 314 more cases than at the start of Week 7 (from 511 to 825, a
62% increase). Cancun had 241 more cases this week (from 378 to 619, a
64% increase). Since the start of Week Six, two weeks ago, reported cases more that
tripled and deaths nearly quadrupled...and Isla went from one to five.

New Municipal Restrictions
>Driver only on motorcycles-no passengers
>Taxis are limited to two passengers, back seat only
>Golf carts and private vehicles are limited to one passenger, in back seat,
>All must be out for essential purposes such as an urgent matters or
obtaining supplies, and are reminded that face masks are mandatory in
public and healthy distance and hygiene measures should be employed.
>Meetings, including "banquet meetings" are strictly prohibited in
public or private places, as well as outdoor (group) activities at
private homes.(actividades de esparcimiento en los domicilios
particulares). Meeting or gathering in the doorways or fronts of
the homes of neighbors, friends or family is absolutely prohibited. "We
are in quarantine and whoever disobeys this provision can be subject to
fines or arrest".

Measures
to reduce the spread of Covid-19 have been strengthened during the
current Phase 3 to preserve the health of Isla Mujeres families.
Source: Policía y Tránsito Isla Mujeres

From yesterday morning (Friday)

While Mexico City remains the epicenter for Covid-19 cases in Mexico, Quintana Roo stands out among the states.The MAP shows the incident rate per 100,000 inhabitants of ACTIVE
cases. Mexico City is highest with 18.4, and Quintana Roo is in third
place at 12.1, just behind Tabasco at 12.3. The National rate is 4.6 and
all the other states are less than 10. (Active cases are those whose
symptoms began in the past 14 days.)The GRAPHIC show the incident rate per 100,000 inhabitants
of ACCUMULATED cases. Mexico City leads with 57.8, followed by Quintana
Roo at 45.7. The National rate is 15.0 and all the other states are
less than 20, except Tabasco, the Bajas California and Sinaloa.

Afternoon of April 30- Isla Mujeres has reported another case, for a total of 5 of which one is recuperated and 4 are active in the municipality.
On April 30, Quintana Roo reports 788 positive cases with 116 deaths,
174 under study and 402 recuperated. There are 155 hospitalized and 115
in social isolation. Benito Juarez, (Cancun) reports 597 positive with
80 deaths and 323 recuperated. That gives the state a death rate of 1 in
6.8 and Cancun at 1 in 7.5.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Thursday, April 30 the air smelled strongly of smoke, starting around 3am (when there was also a brief electricity outage). A haze became evident at dawn. This was attributed to forest fires on the mainland and a change in wind direction. Brush fires are common at this time of year when it is dry season and there is agricultural
burning, but smoke like this over Isla Mujeres, Cancun & Playa del
Carmen is not.The municipal Department of Civil Protection and Firefighters recommend ed
closing doors and windows and blocking them with wet rags to
prevent entry of the smoke.

Photos at 7am from MVC B&B: The photos of the Caribbean are looking NE, E & SE. The last one is looking WNW over the bay toward Cancun.

At 9:30am from MVC--
All Clear! Visibility is back to normal, the odor of smoke has faded
considerably & there's a breeze from the west refreshing our house.
These are shot from the east coast of the isle in Bachilleres. #1 looks
west ~6 miles across the isle & bay to Cancun. #2 looks north to
Centro & islet Yunque. #3 is southeast over the Caribbean & a
little fishing boat. Pardon the slant...I can't see the screen in bright
sunlight.

April 29 --There are now 11 active forest fires in Quintana Roo
The graphic of Mexico is from yesterday's report by CONAFOR who note
that the southeastern region of Mexico currently has the most forest
fires. It says--There are 12 active fires in Chiapas, 11 in Quintana Roo
and 5 in Yucatan. It is to be considered that during this season of
the year, this region is characterized by intense agricultural burning,
which is carried out in order to prepare the land for planting various
crops.
The lack of preventative activities, as well as the wind and
heat conditions, make the situation more favorable for forest fires.
CONAFOR reports that the state of of the forces for combat actions in
this area of the country will be announced shortly.
The photo is
from nearly two weeks ago when the Isla Mujeres firefighters spent a
week successfully putting out three fires affecting about 300 hectares,
and were monitoring two more. Of the three they extinguished, two were
located north of Francisco May, adjacent to Lazaro Cardenas, and the
third was on the border with the municipality of Puerto Morelos. Of the
two they were monitoring, one was at Rancho Viejo village and the other
was from the neighboring municipality of Puerto Morelos.
The
CONAFOR graphic says in 2019 the principle causes of forest fires
was--30% intentional, 22% Agricultural activities, 12% bonfires, 11%
unknown, 9% Livestock activities, 6% smokers. Their caption on the last
photo explains that between the wet rainforests and the arid
ecosystems, there is the dry jungle, which is tropical but with
characteristics of semi-arid locations. (Last photo) During this season, it has a
landscape that is full of leafless shrubs with shades of ochre and grey,
which looks as tho it is dying, but when the rains fall, it becomes
green, abundant, and full of life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ April 29-The largest fire in Quintana Roo is in Bacalar, which has an area of
​​1,400 hectares, and 77 firefighters are working to mitigate it.
As of April 26, nine active forest fires were reported, affecting
5,137 hectares in Quintana Roo; two days later, there now are 11, which
increased the affected area to 8,406 hectares. (That is 32.5 square
miles.)
Today the National Forestry Commission of Quintana
Roo (CONAFOR) reported that, from January 1 to April 28, 2019, 10 fires
were registered with an affected area of ​​1,754 hectares.
During this same period of this year, 41 fires have been registered,
of which 11 remain active, with three located in Othón P. Blanco, two
in Lázaro Cárdenas, one in Solidaridad, one in Benito Juárez, one in
Bacalar, one in Felipe Carrillo Puerto, one in José María Morelos and
one more in Puerto Morelos.
The fire that until now is the most
extensive is in Bacalar, located 36 kilometers from the Bacalar Reforma
junction in the midst of bush-like vegetation with an area of ​​1400
hectares, it has been controlled at 10% and has been mitigated 5
percent.
Source https://www.meganews.mx/…/ya-son-11-los-incendios-forestal…/
~~~~~~~~~~

Yesterday (Friday) In our municipality we do not have active wildfires currently, but constant monitoring continues and we are ready to activate coordination protocols if necessary.~~From the Isla Mujeres Department of Civil Protection & Firefighters

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ultracarga (vehicle ferry) began a new schedule on Wednesday, April 29

~~~~~~~~~~~A notice from the Isla Mujeres Chief of Municipal Traffic Police
advising residents that they are being strictor & NOT to go out just
because they have nothing to do. He says that their vehicles will be
impounded if their documents aren't in order,with zero tolerance. "So
don't start with the 'They Didn't Warn Me' ".
The islanders' comments are thanking him because they feel
there is a greater need to prevent people from driving around aimlessly
and, in particular, to prevent them from
coming downtown needlessly, expressing concern that Centro residents,
and their elderly relatives, are being put at risk. This was shared in "Noti Isla
Mujeres" where there are some complaints, but they are mostly about
delays at the checkpoints, and that this is a bad time for people to
have their vehicles impounded. And comments in favor of strict measures
reducing travel from the mainland.

Thursday night, there were no gunshot injuries. A National Guard suffered a knife wound that wasn't life-threatening One of the two National Guard personnel assigned to the Security of the Isla Mujeres Community Hospital was injured Thursday night, causing the mobilization of federal and municipal officers. It was initially reported to involve gunshots, but later it was confirmed that the federal officer received a wound from a knife, not a firearm. He went into the hospital to be treated for the wound, but unfortunately there was misinformation about an assault by two people aboard a motorcycle and the Red Code was activated with an operation in the southern part of the island. Although the injury was not serious, which was to one of his legs, he was transferred to the Navy Hospital by the Life ambulance and later transferred to Cancun for medical attention. It is not known how the uniformed officer was wounded, and the Prosecutor's office is anticipating the filing of a complaint and the corresponding investigation into the event, which caused concern among the inhabitants of the island. LINK

On Thursday, OXXO donated 7000 face masks to protect the municipal police of the municipality of Benito Juarez (Cancun) LINK

Mexican economy suffers the biggest decline in 11 years
During the first quarter of 2020, the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI) reported that Mexico GDP (Gross Domestic Product) fell 1.6% compared to the same period in 2019, based on preliminary data. This represents the third consecutive decline and the highest since the fourth quarter of 2009, which was the year of global financial crisis.
That data doesn't include the seasonal adjustment, and indicates the contraction of the GDP was due to the fact that secondary activities (mining, construction, manufacturing) fell 3.2 percent and tertiary activities (trade and services) dropped 0.9 percent, which could not be compensated for a 1.5 percent increase in primary activities (agriculture and fishing). With seasonal adjustments, the real decline was less than 2.4 percent for the first quarter of 2020. Compared to the previous quarter, the GDP of Secondary and Tertiary Activities during the first quarter of 2020 decreased by less than 1.4 percent individually, while that of Primary Activities increased 0.5 percent. LINK

The Secretary of Health for Quintana Roo, Dr Alejandra Aguirre Crespo, responded to statements by her counterpart in the state of Nuevo Leon, by saying that Q Roo has unused hospital capacity, and more beds and ventilators than sick people. She said, "I regret the recent comments of the Secretary of Health of Nuevo León, Manuel Enrique De la O Cavazos, as they differ from reality. In Quintana Roo we are not overwhelmed by the contingency.” She said that there is a shortage of specialist doctors, as is the case throughout the country, unfortunately. "We are recruiting health professionals and training them," she said. She said her call with Dr. De la O Cavazos was to learn about the experience in his state of telemedicine, a modality that can help Q. Roo at this stage of the pandemic and that has been effective in Nuevo Leon. She said, “In Quintana Roo we have been working to face the contingency according to the specific conditions of each of our municipalities. It has been a broad and responsible approach, supported by scientific evidence and respectful of the rights of those who inhabit this state. We are open and in search of greater effectiveness, we listen to and evaluate the offers of support we receive because we know that against the pandemic, only together, will we succeed. ”LINK

Grammar can be so important ;)....Chetumal, Q. Roo.- Fires surrounding the capital of the state are
leaving smoke affecting the residents at night and early morning. A
great effort is being made to suffocate them, said the Director General of the
State Coordination of Civil Protection (Coeproc) Adrián Martínez
Ortega. LINK He said, "We have 12 fires active throughout Quintana Roo, to this we add that some fire outbreaks are occurring and this is exacerbating the situation. So far we have 8446 hectares affected in the State, compared to last year on the same date only 1754 had been damaged." He added that 42 fires have been registered to date, last year at this time there were only ten, the difference is that this year's intense drought is making our jungles very dehydrated, providing fuel for the flames and this allows them to spread faster.The municipalities of Othón P. Blanco and Solidaridad have been the most affected in this 2020 forest fire season, since there have been 11 and 8 incidents respectively, followed by Bacalar with seven, Lázaro Cárdenas with six, Benito Juárez and Carrillo Puerto with two each and José María Morelos with one, while in Isla Mujeres, Cozumel and Tulum no burns have occurred. (In April, The Isla Mujeres firefighters reported putting out three fires that burned about 300 hectares and monitoring two others, in the mainland area of Isla Mujeres and along boundaries with neighboring municipalities.) He said 332 people who are members of the State Incident Management Team are working to fight the fires, which is made up of personnel from Conafor, SEMAR, Sedena, CONANP, INAH, SEMA, volunteers, ejidatarios, firefighters and state and municipal Civil Protection personnel, who seek to mitigate the flames that affect the jungle and fauna of Quintana Roo.

If someone in your city contracts Covid-19: >Respect their privacy >DO NOT share their photo on social networks >DO NOT share rumors about their condition >You can offer your HELP to that person who isn't leaving their home. This is not the time for RUMORS. It is time for SOLIDARITY.

SEE REPORT IN TVIM above. There are unconfirmed reports that two military personnel were injured
by gunshots around 11pm Thursday night and taken to Cancun. Gunshots were allegedly
heard near Mundaca Hacienda, and ambulances and patrol vehicles of the
National Guard & municipal police were observed outside the
Community Hospital. (photos of ambulance and official vehicles)

This state notice advises that the limits on hours of alcohol sales throughout the state (10a to 5p) have been extended thru the month of May. The article accompanying the notice (Isla Mujeres al Momento) states that the Dry Law on the island prohibiting ALL alcohol sales continues. The Director of Collection of Tax Administration System of Quintana Roo in Isla Mujeres (SATQ), Jesús Contreras Gómez, explained that it is within the authority of the municipalities to apply the measures they consider most appropriate for the citizenry and community in relation to the health contingency caused by Covid-19. He noted that the Dry Law on the island part of the municipality of Isla Mujeres will continue during the month of May, which began in the early days of the health contingency.

Large shipments of food aid have arrived at the Convention Center and the grocery staples will be delivered this week to about 1500 families on the island, with a similar amount in the mainland part of the municipality. Participants and supervisors of the deliveries will include personnel with the municipal, state and federal governments, as well as legislators and City Council members. There is a list of recipients who have financial need, and this will be cross-checked by the three levels of government in the interest of transparency. There have been complaints on social media with accusations that the previous deliveries were biased.
The Director of the Community Hospital said there are 13 beds available at the hospital, which are not specifically for Covid-19 patients, noting they "attend to all types of diseases and two people have been admitted, and neither admission was due to coronavirus." As of noon Friday, the total number of positive cases in Isla Mujeres remained at five (with one recovered.)

A large slider
opens from each of the 3 rooms onto the patio where each has a table
& chairs, hammock & clotheslines. The BBQ is behind the pole,
and the outdoor shower is out of the pic at left.

"Reverse Sunset" (looking east from MVC)

Free
amenities include hammocks,
portable beach
chairs, beach towels,
washer & dryer, loungers, shared bikes, BBQ grill, and safes. Panoramic
views from the
rooftop terrace. Large sliding doors open to a patio &
the white sand backyard-beach, overlooking the Caribbean sea. Downtown
is ~ a mile away; we're on
all four bus routes or flag a $3 taxi. Off street parking. You
can enjoy the music & crowds downtown, then return to the quiet
neighborhood of Bachilleres and sleep to the sounds of the sea.. $275/$325/$425 wk $40/50/$65nt Monthly Discounts

Fine
dining a few steps away at Da Luisa or try the
neighborhood eateries a couple blocks farther. We provide a list of
links & direction to over 20 eateries within ten minutes walk,
including Mango Cafe, Mike's Pizza,
Brisas, Rosa Sirena, Coco Jaguar, Manolitos, La Chatita, Green Verde, Kash Kechen
Chuc, and the
large department store-grocery Chedraui & the local craft brewery. Visit marinas, bars, &
beach
clubs that are minutes away by bike or on foot. Attend Yoga classes a
couple villas away at Casa
Ixchel. Fresh juice, produce & tortillas a few blocks
away in the village, as well as a
variety of other stores.

Sunset 7:12-7:25pm (beginning vs end of month)Sunrise 6:16--6:05amPainting by Pamela Haase at MVC

Turtles begin mating and nesting
in May. They can be observed mating offshore from Punta Sur
during this
month, and they nest along the eastern beaches. Tortugranja staff and
volunteers gather the eggs and incubate them in the sand in a pen
outside the facility. The Protection season officially begins May 15,
but Tortugranja staff usually begin checking for nests at the beginning of the
month. Three species nest annually in Isla Mujeres, Greens, Loggerheads,
and Hawksbills, and very rarely, a Leatherback will attempt to nest,
but generally the sand isn't sufficiently deep.

The season for swimming with the whale sharks normally begins on May 15th,
which ends annually in mid-September. They congregate and feed on a
'buffet' of plankton and fish eggs from a type of tuna. Rays are also
attracted to the feeding areas. Photos by Tony Garcia

The
Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks before dawn on May 5th, but can be seen
during the early hours (starting ~3a nightly) from mid-April thru
mid-May. The longest "windows" to see them as they near peaking are
the wee hours Friday & Saturday nights, May 1st & 2nd (which are
the mornings of Sat & Sun). They
peak as the moon is approaching fullness. On May 5th it sets at 4:55a,
so will be low on the western horizon, while the radiant point is in the
east. You don't need to focus on the radiant, because you may miss the
meteors that create the longest bright streaks flying across the sky.
This shower is caused by debris from Halley's comet.

During May, the climate changes Although
May is the hottest month in the neighboring state of Yucatan, here on
the coast, the hottest months begin in June. In May the "Perceived
Temperature" (thin line above the others) begins to rise, as the
humidity increases and the rainy season begins as the month progresses.
We've been in dry season since November-December, and late April &
early May are when firefighters are busy across the Peninsula fighting
brush fires. There are ~13+ hours of daylight in May & humidity
increases from 92% to 99% as the month progresses. Water temperatures
are 81-82 degrees.

Source: Weather Spark

Source: Weather Spark

Source: Climates to Travel

A wet day is one with at least 0.04 inches of precipitation. In Cancún, the chance of a wet day over the course of May is very rapidly increasing, starting the month at 14% and ending it at 36%.
For reference, the year's highest daily chance of a wet day is 52% on September 27, and its lowest chance is 12% on March 22. Source: Weather Spark

Source: Weather Spark

Source: Weather Spark

Friday, May 1 Labor Day Official Holiday with offices closed.

May 3 Dia de la Cruz, a holiday celebrated by construction workers
in Mexico, and is associated with St Helena (Elena in Spanish). Normally, crosses
are placed atop construction projects, and crews take a break to pray
and eat together, with food & drink supplied by the owner.

May 5 "Cinco de Mayo" Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla against the French in 1862.
. May 10 Mother's Day

Sources for Weather Information:LINK to Civil Protection Q Roo weather bulletin (Spanish)LINK to Mexico National Weather Service (Spanish) LINK to satellite images for the Mexico National Weather Service LINK to GOES East Band 16 GIF (animation) LINK to a private weather station on Isla Mujeres

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...

MVC Guests from Ontario wrote...

We have returned to Maravilla Caribe and we consider it to be a gem. Is it a luxurious resort? No. On the other hand, it's the kind of place where you feel comfortable sitting outside with a beer and watching the ocean, reading all afternoon in a hammock or going for a long walk along the shore. To sit on the patio with a plate of fresh fruit and a cup of coffee is my idea of the perfect morning. It's like having your own little private beach cottage - it's not fancy but that's not what we're looking for. A 15 minute walk takes you into the busy little town, full of great little restaurants and shops, and a $3 taxi ride will get you just about anywhere on the island. The landlord is friendly, accommodating and genuinely cares about and knows the local community. For anyone who wants a lavish package vacation, this obviously isn't the place for you - there are plenty of resorts that will fit your needs. Maravilla is a simple, lovely place to get away from it all.

Visits Since June 2011

Taunya from Washington wrote

Hi Ronda,

I want to say thank you again for a fabulous vacation! Your studio was perfect! Having the extra space, kitchenette and dinning table made the space perfect for a long stay. Your little details like coffee filters and ice cube trays made it feel like home. I also really appreciated that you were there if I needed anything, but that you also let me have my space.

Being out of downtown, yet close to everything made the location perfect. Add the beautiful beach and it couldn't have been any better!

Thank you so much! When I return to Isla I will be back on your doorstep. Happy Holidays!

MaraVilla Caribe Bed & Beach Guests Say..

Judy from Ohio wrote...I stayed at Maravilla and absolutely loved it. Beach and patio was kept very clean and since handicapped I would spend the days on patio with my laptop at table right outside my room. Each room had table/chairs in front of room. Not many places on isla you have the beach right outside your door-saves alot of money instead of renting beach chairs and buying drinks downtown. I also do not like crowded beaches and stacks of chairs next to each other as on the north beaches. You hear absolutely no street noise just the waves hitting the shore. There were bikes free to use, beachchairs free to take to downtown, and free washer/dryer to use. The price is excellent value and the owners live there so they do not need to list with an agency giving renters better $ value. Isla is not for everyone. But condo/luxury hotels now line the once beautiful North Beach for those wanting the Cancun version of places to stay, so sad, plus $$$$. I prefer peace,quiet, and great value. Not many places with sunrise/sunset views.

Renee from Toronto wrote...

For some of us, there comes a time when we prefer peace and quiet to hustle and bustle. For a few regrettable years, I got off buses and lined up with the rest of the schmucks to check in for the all inclusive 'experience'. I set the alarm daily to head down with everyone else to make dinner reservations for the pleasure of eating soggy Sushi served by brusque Bahamians. I wore the wristband of shame, identifying me as an easy mark on any excursion. I tipped and cajoled the bartender for extra shots of rum. I listened to the drunken monologues of people who get to cut loose just once a year. With the all inclusive experience, your fate is not entirely your own...

And then I tried something else, the self catering experience - more a case of here's your key, here's your apartment, have fun! Settle in, stock your fridge, stock your bar and you're off to the races. Happy hour is whenever you choose. No lining up at a buffet. Snorkel on your own time. Open a bottle of wine and cook a leisurely dinner - no one's rushing you out for the next seating. Sleep in and eat breakfast when you want, don't worry about the dining room being closed.

That's the experience I prefer these days. And Mara Villa doesn't disappoint. You get exactly what you pay for: a clean and comfortable room with everything you need. The experience is great for people who like to 'do their own thing.' In essence, staying at Mara Villa is like having your own private beachfront villa.

Amenities include good wifi, towels, sheets, dishes, pots and pans, a fridge and freezer, drinking water, hammock hooks, and a clothesline. Bonuses include a patio with tables and chairs, a charcoal BBQ, a beach for watching the sun rise over the water, and a rooftop for watching the sun set over Cancun (also good for star gazing and extreme suntanning).

The local bus passes by the front door and costs 4 pesos to head downtown. A taxi is about $2 into town. Chedraui, the big grocery store, is less than 10 minutes away by foot. Grab a cheap cab home if you've really stocked up.

Ronda is a great host - a storehouse of island information about where to eat and what to do. Bruce, her husband, is an avid snorkeler and can point you in the best direction off their private beach for underwater wildlife. I was lucky enough to see dolphins swimming offshore one day. Close to shore I also saw a barracuda, a sting ray and a pair of graceful Caribbean squid. The usual tropical fish abound as well.

It's worth noting that Mara Villa is located on the east side of the island, windward. The shore is more dramatic and rocky, but there are very few, if any, mosquitos. The west side of the island is calmer and more traditionally 'beachy', but mosquitoes abound at dawn and dusk. With the rocky shore, you need water shoes for entering the water and swimming, but you have the beach all to yourself at Mara Villa. Head to the sublimely Caribbean style North Beach if you miss the crowds.

I spent almost a month at Mara Villa and it was the calm, casual and relaxing experience I craved. I will be back to Mara Villa, but I won't ever go back to an all inclusive.

Call or WhatsApp (01) 998 937 8014

Click here for link to menus from most of your favorite restaurants & more information.

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Jane C from Penland wrote...

My friend and I just stayed at Maravilla Caribe, December 20-25, 2012 and we had an absolutely wonderful experience. The owner, Ronda made me feel comfortable before I arrived, providing helpful information about travel to the area. She made an extra effort to secure a larger room for us, which was perfect. Maravilla is quaint, charming, clean & comfortable. We loved the bright green color of the house! The kitchenette was simple, clean and well equipped with everything we needed to prepare meals. The beds are very comfortable and Ronda provides lots of clean towels. She even offered to let us use the washer/dryer and bicycles for free! The best part (other than the low cost) is you have your own private beach in the back! It is a beautiful place that I highly recommend.

Carol D from Peterborough wrote.....

Hello I stayed at MaraVilla, la Casa Verde :-), Dec 10 to 20 this 2012 for my first time and would not hesitate to return. This is my 11th year staying on the island and I have stayed at many places. The location is amazing, and the owners have modified the patio doors so that those of us who want to hear the waves all night can do so with security. They were super helpful at every turn and what meant the most to me is that they really care about their guests and are friendly. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch together. The room was spacious and clean. At MaraVilla there are only 3 rooms facing the water so it is peaceful, quiet and private. At MaraVilla, there were workers out painting the house in front and raking the beach and it was well maintained. There were no rocks on the clean tile patio. you do need water shoes to wade in to the water but it is worth it. And if you want to go to a more perfect beach i.e. no reef etc then one could go and pay 150-200+ per night at Playa Norte (but you won't hear the waves from your bed or have the privacy or owners that care about you!!). The bed was comfortable, mattress good, sheets in good shape and clean (more than i can say about the place i had the misfortune of staying in Progresso!!). Honestly you get what you pay for in this world and if you were to go to Tulum, or San Filipe or Progresso you are sure getting much more bang for your buck at MaraVilla in the 50-65 dollar range!!! If you are a 5 star resort person I would say stay at a 5 star resort, but if you enjoy the waves, quiet, privacy and caring owners then stay at this MaraVilla the Casa Verde :-)

Noska from Austin wrote....Maravilla is one of the coolest little spots on the isla.The hosts are awesome,location perfect,rooms are clean and affordable

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Music:

Fayne's has late night live music, starts ~10p

El Patio House of Music on Hidlago has live music evenings, usually HH show 5p, continues at 7p.